Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced a plan Tuesday that could grant conditional early release to as many as half of the approximately 90,000 people detained under a state of emergency imposed to dismantle violent criminal gangs.
The initiative targets individuals classified as gang collaborators—a broad designation encompassing lookouts, extortion payers, and others accused of aiding groups such as MS-13 and Barrio 18. While acknowledging these individuals committed crimes, Bukele argued that widespread collaboration was a societal norm under gang rule, suggesting that prosecuting every participant would have required arresting a significant portion of the population.
Without providing specific criteria, the president stated authorities would review cases to determine eligibility for monitored release, potentially affecting up to 50% of those jailed during the emergency.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has unveiled a plan that could allow the conditional early release of up to half of those detained under a state of emergency. (Alex Peña/Getty Images)
The state of emergency, declared in March 2022 following a spike of over 60 homicides in a single day, has been repeatedly extended beyond its initial 30-day mandate. The measure coincided with a dramatic decline in the national homicide rate and a surge in tourism, but it also suspended key constitutional protections, including the right to be informed of detention reasons, access to legal counsel, and family visitation.
Human rights organizations have condemned the emergency powers, citing over 6,000 complaints of arbitrary arrests and documenting at least 575 deaths in government custody. Exiled attorney Bertha Deleón argued on X that release alone is insufficient, demanding compensation for physical and mental harm, family suffering, lost livelihoods, and reputational damage caused by the state.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s emergency declaration suspended or restricted certain constitutional protections, including the right to be informed of the reasons for detention, the right to access legal counsel and the right to visitation. (Alex Pena/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Bukele dismissed criticism from domestic and international rights groups, urging them to prioritize the victims of gang violence. He defended the necessity of maintaining the emergency decree while expressing a long-term goal of ending it.
Human rights groups have denounced the state of emergency, arguing that it has sparked widespread arbitrary arrests. (Salvadoran Government via Getty Images)
Government figures show the homicide rate plummeted from a peak of over 100 per 100,000 residents in 2015 to 1.3 per 100,000 in 2025. However, analysts note the official count excludes killings by police, prison homicides, and bodies discovered in unmarked graves.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
